Known in the art is a process for producing a water-soluble polyelectrolyte by reacting acrylic acid with gaseous ammonia with a subsequent polymerization of the resulting reaction mass in the presence of an initiator of polymerization - hydrogen peroxide (cf. Uzbeksky Khimichesky Zhurnal/Uzbek Chemical Journal/, No. 2, 1962, Uzbek Academy of Sciences Publishing House, Tashkent, K. S. Akhmedov, K. V. Pogorelsky, "Production of novel polymeric preparations for artificial structurization of soils and other disperse systems", pp. 43-45).
The polyelectrolyte produced by this prior art process is characterized by an unsatisfactory solubility in water, as well as low flocculating and structuring capacity.
Also known in the art is a process for producing a water-soluble polyelectrolyte comprising reacting acrylic acid with ammonium carbonate at a temperature of 15.degree.-20.degree. C. and the molar ratio of acrylic acid to ammonium carbonate of 2:1 respectively, followed by adding hydrogen peroxide to the reaction mass in an amount ranging from 0.5 to 0.9% by weight of acrylic acid and polymerization of the reaction mass first at a temperature of 78.degree.-80.degree. C. for 20 minutes and then--at a spontaneous elevation of temperature to 110.degree.-130.degree. C. (SU, A, No. 475370).
This prior art process has a disadvantage residing in that a preliminary heating of the reaction mass to 78.degree.-80.degree. C. is necessary to carry out the polymerization process which is associated with increased consumption of energy.
Another disadvantage of the prior art process referred to resides in that the resulting polyelectrolyte has a low molecular weight (intrinsic viscosity of the polyelectrolyte [.eta.] in a 3% aqueous solution of sodium chloride at 25.degree. C. is equal to 1.8-2.04) which impairs flocculant capacity of the polyelectrolyte, as well as its structuring capacity in the formation of an artificial soil structure. Thus, in thickening of ore pulps at weight ratio of the solid phase (S) to the liquid phase - water (L) equal to 1:4-5 respectively and at the consumption rate of the above-mentioned polyelectrolyte (flocculant) of 50 g per ton of the ore pulp the coefficient of flocculating capacity is 0.87. The rate of filtration of a 10% china-clay suspension upon introduction of 200 g of the above-mentioned polyelectrolyte per ton of the suspension is 16.9 ml/min. In the formation of an artificial soil structure, for example sierozem (gray desert soil) (plowing depth 0-25 cm) the structuring capacity of this polyelectrolyte (i.e. its ability of forming water-resistant soil aggregates of a diameter above 0.25 mm) at the concentration of the polyelectrolyte in sierozem of 0.003% by weight is 19.3%.